Isaiah 54:1-17--The Eternal Covenant of Peace

Isaiah 54
English Standard Version

The Eternal Covenant of Peace
54 “Sing, O barren one, who did not bear;
    break forth into singing and cry aloud,
    you who have not been in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
    than the children of her who is married,” says the LORD.
2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,
    and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
do not hold back; lengthen your cords
    and strengthen your stakes.
3 For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left,
    and your offspring will possess the nations
    and will people the desolate cities.

4 “Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;
    be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
    and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
5 For your Maker is your husband,
    the LORD of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
    the God of the whole earth he is called.
6 For the LORD has called you
    like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of youth when she is cast off,
    says your God.
7 For a brief moment I deserted you,
    but with great compassion I will gather you.
8 In overflowing anger for a moment
    I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”
    says the LORD, your Redeemer.

9 “This is like the days of Noah to me:
    as I swore that the waters of Noah
    should no more go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you,
    and will not rebuke you.
10 For the mountains may depart
    and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
    and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”
    says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

11 “O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted,
    behold, I will set your stones in antimony,
    and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 I will make your pinnacles of agate,
    your gates of carbuncles,
    and all your wall of precious stones.
13 All your children shall be taught by the LORD,
    and great shall be the peace of your children.
14 In righteousness you shall be established;
    you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
    and from terror, for it shall not come near you.
15 If anyone stirs up strife,
    it is not from me;
whoever stirs up strife with you
    shall fall because of you.
16 Behold, I have created the smith
    who blows the fire of coals
    and produces a weapon for its purpose.
I have also created the ravager to destroy;
17     no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed,
    and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD
    and their vindication from me, declares the LORD.”

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The nation of Israel was starting to feel like a woman who was barren (unable to bear children).  She was promised innumerable descendants that would be like the dust of the earth, the sands of the seashores and the stars of the heavens (an uncountable number).  It looked to them like all the other nations were fertile and blessed while they appeared to be barren and cursed.  How would the covenant continue of the covenant people were cut off from the land of the living?  God renews the promise of descendants (and blessings) to the ones that felt like their tribe and nation were being cut off.  The ones who counted themselves as barren now would have more descendants than the nations around them that they counted as fertile.  In fact, it would be many of those nations that the LORD would cause to be cut off from the land of the living, and the descendants of the people of Israel would inhabit not only the Land promised to them as an eternal covenant, but the land given up by all these other nations that the LORD would put to death--He would give them that land too.

Barrenness was something shameful at the time and a sign that God had cursed a woman because of great sin so that her wickedness would not spread to further generations (the woman would always be blamed even if it was the man that was infertile).  The LORD promises that He would take their shame upon Himself and clothe them with glory and honor like a bride dressed to meet her husband.  He will be the Husband of the people of Israel and will love them unconditionally and will protect them not just from external suffering but the internal suffering that comes from guilt and shame as only the LORD can do.  He will Redeem them and once again gather together those whom He has allowed to be scattered among the nations.  He hid Himself from them in His anger so they would not face the fury of His wrath, but His anger is temporary, and His love is eternal.  He will remember His great and steadfast love for His beloved and will take her back and embrace her and remove her guilt and shame.

​God says that to Him, this is no different than the days of Noah when He saved 8 people and repopulated the entire world with them.  At that time when the LORD made a covenant with Noah and His family, He promised that He would never again destroy the whole earth with water and that summer, winter, springtime, and harvest would never cease to continue until the final judgment.  The LORD has kept the covenant with Noah and his descendants, and He will likewise keep His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants.  It may appear as if the LORD's wrath will never end and all life will be destroyed, but the LORD kept those in the Ark safe and relented of His wrath in time for them to exit the Ark in safety.  His timing is perfect and so is His wrath--which is hard for us to believe.  He will act both to save and destroy because of His great love for His covenant people.  The only question is if you will part of the covenant people that He acts to save, or will you be one of the people opposed to His covenant people that gets destroyed as He makes a place for His people to dwell with Him forever and ever?

It probably did little good to make such promises of what was coming one day to the people in the Ark that were tossed and afflicted by the wind and the waves.  The day of peace and tranquility would come when they would once again set their feet on solid ground.  He would prepare a city for them, though they were but sojourners and wanderers for so long.  Those who were a people without a place to call home, He would prepare a place of perfect peace and rest for them.  It would be a place free from dangers of wild animals, with high walls and gates, but the gates will always be open because there is no danger within or without.  It will always be day for the LORD will be the Light of that city.  Righteousness will reign as the LORD sits on His throne to rule over His people.  He will also be their Teacher and He will be like a craftsman fashioning His people into a weapon or tool for His purposes.  Everyone who rises up against the LORD's people will be put to shame and destroyed.  The LORD's people will always be vindicated and victorious because the LORD will accomplish this for His Name's sake.

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